Stop Decluttering a Little at a Time
oudl I'm a bit nervous about this post because I think what I have to say might be a little controversial, LOL! So much of the popular decluttering advice says to do it a little at a time, 15 minutes a day, one thing a day, etc., to avoid overwhelm.
I have to be honest– this is NOT how I do it most of the time! I would say this works for maybe 70% of people, but for the other 30% of us, it is just not going to go well! Whether the slow method will actually work for you depends a lot on your personality type. I even created a quiz here to help you figure out your decluttering personality. If you want to know why the slow and steady declutter is not my cup of tea, keep reading, or check out the video here.
I'll first talk about why the all-at-once method tends to work better for me, and then to be fair, I'll talk about some of the flaws in that method so you can decide which is right for you!
Benefits to Faster Decluttering:
Faster Results
If I spend three hours a day for a week decluttering, thats 21 hours. If I spent the same amount of time in 15 minute daily chunks, it would take me 84 days (or about three months!) to declutter for the same amount of time. That's a loooong time, LOL! I just don't think I could keep going that long without seeing immediate progress in my home. I'm just too impatient for results, and I know I would get distracted and move on to other goals if I felt like my efforts weren't making a difference.
It's Necessary Sometimes
Even if you prefer the slow and steady approach, sometimes you just don't have a choice. Maybe your home is a disaster zone, and you have company coming over, or your hosting a major event. There could be mental health issues at stake, or what if you're moving? That can happen with about 30-60 days notice, or even less!
It's More Motivating
It's really hard for me to stick with something for a long time without any noticeable progress. I was cleaning out my craft room the other day, for example. If I had worked for just 15 minutes a day, it would have taken me weeks to see a difference. I would have walked in day after day with it looking relatively the same. I know myself. Giving up would have happened around 5 days in!!
It Lets You Capitalize on Positive Momentum
In the first 15 minutes, I'm really just getting started. For me, getting started and that first 15 minutes are the hardest! But once I'm going, I get into the project and just want to do more. I might as well take advantage of my desire to keep going! I'm more productive when I'm really engaged with the task, and this always happens for me about 15 minutes in. That's the last time I should be stopping– I'm at my most productive!
It Takes Less Time Overall
A lot of time gets eaten up in the starting/stopping of a task. If you're only spending 15 minutes on something, you might use 5 minutes getting started, and then you really only get 10 minutes of productive declutter time. You're also afraid to pull out too much or dig too deep into something because you only have 15 minutes. You're much more efficient (usually) if you can reduce the number of starts and stops.
I Enjoy it More
This is definitely personality dependent. However, I always enjoy the big projects. I get excited about accomplishing something big. The prospect of seeing a huge change is so exciting for me, so it's easy for me to want to jump in with both feet!
The Flaws in the All-At-Once Method
Despite the fact that it works so much better for me, there are some negatives to this method. It's only fair to talk about those as well:
1. It can create bigger messes.
SONY DSC
If you pull out a ton of stuff and don't have enough time to put it back, this can definitely create stress. Be realistic about your chunk of time. Only pull out what you can put back in the time you have. Also consider where the “mess” will be. If I do this in the storage room and have to leave it for a few days, no one will really notice. But if I do this in the kitchen, it will drive my family crazy, LOL! So I'm much more careful with heavily used or shared spaces.
2. It can be too overwhelming.
Does the prospect of a huge project make you not even want to start? It energizes me, but if it overwhelms you, this is not the right approach. If the promise of 15 minutes a day is something you can manage, but 1+ hours makes you not even start, then a little is always better than nothing!
3. Maybe you're more productive in 15 minute chunks.
How do things actually play out for you? I'm more productive after the first 15 minutes because I get energized by the project. But some people are more productive in the first part of the work. If that's you, then you would be better off in smaller “sprints” than in longer, “marathon” sessions. Do you slow as you get tired when time goes on?
4. Slower methods help you build lasting habits.
If you actually do stick with a daily habit for three months or longer, then you really have built it into your routine, and it's likely a habit that will stick with you. A lifetime of habitual decluttering will get you a LOT farther than several intense projects a year. If you declutter super fast, all at one time, you haven't really built any habits; you've just completed a project.
5. Limits may prevent you from doing it all at once.
- Physical– you may not be able to handle longs sessions. This was me recently. I didn't know when my pain was going to flare up, or if I was going to have a good or a bad day. It was so unpredictable that I couldn't commit to a long project or pull a lot out because I didn't know if I'd be physically able to put it back.
- Lifestyle– are you in a crazy busy season of life? Are you traveling a lot and not home? Are your work hours flexible or not? You may not have three hour chunks of time during the day, or you're already exhausted by the time you get home from work.
If you don't already know which method would work best for your personality, be sure to take my quiz here to find out! Even if you know which method is best for you, sometimes we may have to use the other method instead.
Even though I'm an all-at-once person, I had to go slower and do smaller chunks when I was so ill the last few years. If you're a slow and steady type, you may be moving or have an event coming where you just have to get things done ASAP! It's still doable, but recognizing that it goes against your natural inclination can help a lot! I wish I had a scientific way to figure out what percentage of people were better off slow and steady or all-at-once…let me know which type you are in the comments!
Copyright 2025, Get Organized HQ.
Jenny Viktoria Says
THANK YOU!!
I am with you. I don’t have 84 hours in a week to declutter – I have a life.
But I do have 3 – 4 hours of high energy decluttering, one area at a time. And it’s so much more satifying.
My 15 min a day is just clearing out the day’s mess and getting ready for the next day.
Hollea Larochelle Says
I really like to set a day to attack an area in a room to declutter. whether it is my desk and files in the living room or a hall closet, my sewing desk, the closet in my sewing room and my bedroom closet. I did do my dresser and have another on that has doors with shelves holing various items from yarn to xmas gifts for 2025 along with extra socks stillmin package and a photo digital display still in box. but need place to put before l start so now l have to d3cide where to start. l bought the scanable codes to label storage boxes and fabric bins so l want to find something l put it into app on my phone and it tells me where it is. but l have to get there and l have a few kitchen cabinets to declutter and 2 pantries one for bulk storage in tupperware all labeled and the other for cans and other things l have can racks but l need to resort where things go aga8n. the rest is organized and clean. so l prefer the set a time without constraint, an area to do and l just get in and do it and feel real good when it is done. l still have people drop by and want to see my kitchen drawers as l have a lot of the bamboo organizers in drawers for plastic wrap zipl9ck drawer tupperware drawers even my baking utensil drawer cutlery knives and c9ok8ng utensils. l love being organized and knowing where to find something but l renovated 2 uears ago and l am still looking for things that never found a h9me and is stuffed in a closet somewhere. lol love to hear what you have to say it either teaches me or revs up my decluttering organizing drive.
Marie McMahon Says
Yep, I’m a Cactus Blossom. I’ve known for years that I’m definitely a project person and not too much for daily maintenance. And I spent 13 hours once decluttering and organizing my daughter’s closet.
For many years, I’d ask myself, if I had a choice, would I want “X” (in general, not a specific thing) all at one time, or a little spread out. As much as I’d like the discipline to say and *mean* “a little spread out”, nah; I want it, whatever “it” is, all at one time. Lol! So I definitely get your drift. You are not alone! Hang in their, Sister!
Jane Grudt Says
I’m a Cactus Blossom, too! This quiz felt so special, as when feeling overwhelmed, my decluttering/organizing advisor would tell us to break it down into little chunks to declutter – it has not worked. I gave up. I was ready to quit and now this makes so much sense. Your little quiz pointed out so many things I have felt I was alone and the oddball person dealing with them. You have shared what I felt was a crazy amount of money you used on matching bins and labels, etc., and yet to come up with this Catcus Blossom realization is so special.
Heather Says
Right now, I can’t physically do a long time at one time. I usually start for 15 minutes or one area and if I feel okay I will do more. The idea of making a bigger mess with just stress me out more.
Salim Says
I confess both my wife and I have done more project cleaning than short sprints. My aim is rather to set in place a cleaning schedule
Debbie N Says
Thanks for the reminder to check my quiz results. Another Cactus blossom here. I need to remember that for work projects too!
This is a really helpful reminder, thanks Laura.
Denise Says
I always do one room at a time. I have never heard of 15 minutes a day but rather set a timer for 15 minutes and basically play beat the clock. That works well if you like a challenge or are a procrastinator. For me I do this without setting the timer. ADHD makes it impossible if I don’t set a challenge because I get easily sidetracked and then it can take me all day. So setting a timer or just doing that in my head helps but it is for the whole job not a drawer here or there.
Maggie Steele Says
I am also am all at once person. Although I have also done the 15 minutes method without realizing it just to declutter my desk area or sewing table. It is satisfying to see it done. When it gets warmer, I am tackling the garage!
Carol Says
I alternate between big time-consuming tasks and smaller high energy short spurts of decluttering. The combination is serving me well as I get a lot done and don’t feel overwhelmed. I feel good because I see the progress.
Kim Says
I feel like I’m kinda in the middle, sometimes it’s a quick 10 mins declutter and sometimes it’s a few hours. I like to start a declutter and see how my energy is, if I’m feeling good I keep going but if I find myself losing interest or not seeing much progress I keep it short and go back to it another day. When my daughter was younger we couldn’t get into her play room for the mess so we set a timer for 10 mins and the rule was everything she picked up she had to decide what to do with it. We had a pile of keep to figure out where to put later, a rubbish bag, a giveaway pile and a sale pile. Some days she struggled with the 10 mins and other days we did an hour or more. Setting the timer and the rule really helped her declutter. It was so overwhelming to start with even for me, we could barely open the door and the floor was nowhere to be seen. We lost the cat in there a couple of times lol
Shifra Says
I usually start by 15 minutes, and then if time (and mood) allows, I continue. But if I know I ‘have to’ tackle something all at once, I just never start 😀 . I can much better convince myself that I can handle anything for 15 minutes – and give myself the permission to stop once the time is out.